The ruffed lemur is the largest lemur, weighing 3.5 - 4.5 kg (7.7 - 10 lb).
Its head and body length is about 50 cm (20"), and its tail is about 60 cm (24") long. Ruffed lemurs get their name from the long, thick hair on their ears. There
are two subspecies: the black-and-white ruffed lemur
and the red ruffed lemur. The two subspecies
are generally similar but differ significantly in their coloration and where
they are found. The pelages of both subspecies
are long and luxuriant.
The pelage of the black-and-white ruffed lemur
(V.v. variegata) predominantly consists of
different-sized patches of black and white, while that of the red ruffed lemur (V.v.
rubra)
is mostly red, with a black crown and a white nape.

The ruffed lemur lives in primary and secondary rain forests in eastern Madagascar. The ruffed lemur is entirely vegetarian, eating mainly fruit with
supplemental leaves, nectar and seeds. Fruit comprises a larger percentage of
its diet than is the case for any other lemur. The ruffed lemur is an arboreal forest dweller. It prefers to spend time in the top layers of the
canopy. Almost exclusively diurnal,
the ruffed lemur is most active early in the
morning and in the late afternoon and evening. A female ruffed lemur does not carry her
offspring on her stomach or back like most primates. Rather, unlike any other
primate in the world, a female ruffed lemur gives
birth and leaves her young in a nest made
from twigs, leaves and vines,
generally 10 - 20 m (33 - 66') above the ground.

The social structure of the ruffed lemur is variable - groups can
include 1 male and 1 female, multiple males and females, or aggregations of
smaller groups. In some areas of Madagascar, the animals are found in small groups of
2 - 5 individuals. In other areas, loose affiliations of between 18
and 32 animals occupy home ranges around 60
hectares (150 acres) in size. Females are the driving force in group dynamics and are always
dominant over males. The social system changes
depending on the season and the quality of the habitat. Ruffed lemurs will form larger groups during the wet season
when food is plentiful, and disperse during the dry season in search of scarce fruit.

Ruffed lemurs are confined to eastern rain forest regions of Madagascar
and appear to
be uncommon to rare throughout their range.
The Antainambalana River in northeastern Madagascar separates
the ranges of the two subspecies. Black-and-white ruffed lemurs were originally found in most forested
areas along the entire east coast of Madagascar. Currently, the distribution of
the black-and-white subspecies
is poorly known, particularly at the northern limits. The red ruffed lemur appears to be restricted to the Masoala
Peninsula in northeastern Madagascar. The ruffed lemur is threatened by deforestation and by hunting and trapping for
food and the pet trade.

Tidbits

*** "The word 'Lemur' signifies a 'night-wandering ghost' and has been
applied to this group of animals on account of their nocturnal habits and their
stealthy, noiseless step, which renders their progress almost as inaudible as
that of the unearthly beings from whom they derive their name." (Wood
1860)

***
Ruffed lemurs have an elaborate system of loud alarm barks that alert group
members to danger from predators. All of the group members join in. Both subspecies of ruffed lemur
can understand the alarm calls of the other
and will often "join in" if they are close enough to hear each other. (Duke
Univ. 1999,
2003a).

*** Prosimians such as the ruffed
lemur cannot
manipulate their fingers well enough to use them for grooming, as most monkeys
and apes do. Instead of using their fingers, all prosimians
have a toothcomb which is made up of their 6 bottom
teeth. These teeth stick out, away from their jaw, to form a comb that a prosimian
uses to groom its fur and the fur of other members of its social group. (Duke
Univ.
2003a)

*** When appropriate flowers are available, the ruffed lemur eagerly feeds on
nectar by sticking its long nose deep into the flower. During this feeding,
the flower is not harmed, but the lemur’s snout becomes coated with pollen,
which is then transported to other flowers. Hence for certain species of plants
in the tropical forests of Madagascar, the ruffed lemur is an important
pollinator. (Duke
Univ. Prim. Ctr. 2004)

Countries Where the Ruffed Lemur Is Currently Found:

There are two subspecies of the ruffed lemur: the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia
variegata variegata), also known by the names vari, varikandana, and varikandra;
and the red ruffed lemur (V. v. rubra (or ruber)), also known by the names varimena and
varignena. The two subspecies
are generally similar but are
different in coloration and are found in different (but adjacent) areas in Madagascar.

History of Distribution:

Ruffed lemurs are confined to eastern rain forest regions of Madagascar
and appear to
be uncommon to rare throughout their range.
The Antainambalana River in northeast Madagascar separates
the ranges of the two subspecies. Black-and-white
ruffed lemurs were originally found in most forested
areas along the entire east coast of Madagascar. Currently, the distribution of
the black-and-white subspecies
is poorly known, particularly at the northern limits.
Its
approximate range extends from the Antainambalana River to the northwest of Maroantsetra
south to the Mananara River south of Farafangana, and includes the Andringitra Massif. There
is also an introduced population on the island of Nosy Mangabe in the Bay of
Antongil. The red ruffed lemur appears to be restricted to the Masoala Peninsula, to the
east of Maroantsetra, in northeast Madagascar. The northern limit of the red subspecies' range is poorly understood, but is
generally thought to extend as far as the Ankavanana River. The red ruffed
lemur only occurs at low densities and appears to be rare throughout its limited
range. (Garbutt 1999,
Duke
Univ. Prim. Ctr. 2004)

Threats and Reasons for Decline:

The ruffed lemur is threatened by deforestation and by hunting and trapping for
food and the pet trade. The ruffed lemur is one of the first species to disappear after selective
logging. Unfortunately, many of the larger fruit trees essential for the
survival of the ruffed lemur are also regarded as the most desirable hardwoods
by logging interests, and thus are often the first to be cut down when a forest
is selectively cut. (Rowe 1996, Duke
Univ. Prim. Ctr. 2004)

Data on Biology and Ecology

Habitat:

The black-and-white ruffed lemur lives in the primary and secondary lowland and mid-altitude rain forests
of eastern Madagascar,
where it is found up to 1200 meters (3900') above sea level. The red ruffed
lemur is restricted to the primary and secondary rain forests of the Masoala Peninsula in
northeastern Madagascar. The Antainambalana
River divides the ranges of the two subspecies.
The red ruffed
lemur has been observed in all primary forest types known to occur on Masoala. (Merenlender
et al. 1998, Duke
Univ. 1999, 2003a)

Age to Maturity:

Birth Season:

The ruffed lemur reproduces seasonally. Mating occurs between
May and July, with most offspring being born in September and October.
(Garbutt 1999)

Birth Rate:

Twins appear to be the norm, but litter sizes of up to 6
have been reported in captivity (Garbutt 1999,Duke
Univ. Prim. Ctr. 2004). Although the interval between births can be one year, the findings of one
study (Merenlender
et al. 1998) support an earlier suggestion that the ruffed lemur
successfully reproduces only once in two years in the wild.

Early Development:

A newborn ruffed lemur is not very developed, weighing only about 100g (3.5 oz).
Though its eyes are open and it is fully furred, it is too weak to
cling to its mother, and it is placed in a nest of branches and leaves
which the mother has built prior to birth. Sometimes she lines the nest with fur plucked
from her flanks. Between 1 - 2 weeks after birth, the mother begins to move her
young. Initially
they are carried in her mouth; later, they are ‘parked’ in trees, sometimes
for several hours, allowing her to forage more efficiently. (Napier
& Napier 1985,
Garbutt 1999)

Maximum Age:

15-20 years in the wild (Duke
Univ. 2003a). Several have lived
in captivity for more than 25 years, and one was still living at about 33
years (Nowak
1999).

Diet:

The ruffed lemur is entirely vegetarian, eating mainly fruit with
supplemental leaves, nectar and seeds. Fruit comprises a larger percentage of
its diet than is the case for any other lemur.

The diet of the black-and-white ruffed lemur consists primarily of fruit and nectar, supplemented
with small amounts of leaves and seeds. Nectar is only available for short
periods each year but constitutes the dominant food source when flowers
are in bloom.

Approximately 75% of the red ruffed lemur's diet is fruit,
with the
remainder being made up of leaves, nectar and, to a lesser extent, flowers. A
wide variety of plant species are utilized by the red ruffed lemur throughout the
year (over 40
species have been recorded in its diet).

Behavior:

The ruffed lemur is an arboreal forest dweller. It prefers to spend time in the top layers of the
canopy. During feeding, it utilizes a wide range of feeding positions,
enabling it to reach even the most delicate terminal branch by hanging upside
down by its feet. It normally
progresses by walking or running on larger branches and makes leaps from tree
to tree. The ruffed lemur is almost exclusively diurnal, being most active early in the
morning and in the late afternoon and evening (except for occasional bouts of
nocturnal activity in the case of the black-and-white subspecies). (Garbutt 1999,
Duke
Univ. Prim. Ctr. 2004)

A female ruffed lemur does not carry her
offspring on her stomach or back as do most primate mothers. Rather, unlike any other
primate in the world, a female ruffed lemur gives
birth and leaves her young in a nest made
from twigs, leaves and vines,
generally 10 - 20 m (33 - 66') above the ground. When a mother needs to move
her infants, she carries them in her mouth one at a time. (Garbutt 1999,
Duke
Univ. Prim. Ctr. 2004)

Social Organization:

The social structure of the ruffed lemur is variable - groups can
include 1 male and 1 female, multiple males and females, or aggregations of
smaller groups. In some areas of Madagascar, the animals are found in small groups of
2 - 5 individuals. All group members use
a common core home range, and groups are occasionally aggressive towards other
groups at the borders of these areas. These groups typically have a home range of 25
hectares (63 acres). In other areas, loose affiliations of between 18
and 32 animals occupy home ranges around 60
hectares (150 acres) in size. Females are the driving force in group dynamics and are always
dominant over males
(Female dominance in primates is unique to prosimians.).

The social system changes
depending on the season and the quality of the habitat. Ruffed lemurs will form larger groups during the wet season
when food is plentiful, and disperse during the dry season in search of
scarce, but much desired, fruit. There is a strong correlation
between location of home ranges and location of the largest fruiting trees in
the area. When foraging for fruit, large groups might
fragment completely as individuals go their separate ways. This is in
striking contrast to other diurnal lemurs, which always forage and move through
the forest together as cohesive groups.

The red ruffed lemur only occurs at low densities and appears to be rare
throughout its limited range. The highest density probably occurs on the
west side of
the Masoala Peninsula, where estimates of 20 - 25 individuals/sq km (52 -
65 individuals/sq mi) have been proposed. (Garbutt 1999)